The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-07-09
Sosoms ssec;Si,Iy1RE8 allep OF PAR;

bosom, secufylRER aiieN OF PARff T
in the almost consciousness of your
deathless love, whose first word
s'mamma'' wrings from your heart
cry of delight and the patter OF whose
little feet thrill you with pleasure
teach them this sentiment, that "Se-
sistance to tyrants is obedience to God.":
Teach them this, and when your busy
life shall end, and you are laid quietly
to rest over there in the churcbyard,
they will grow up useful men and wo-
men, walking up and down and DER
the hills OF adversely, fortified by the
teachings and the influence of their
mother. And when in after years you
are forgotten by all-yes, all others
they will not, but will rear sweet flow
ers DER your grave whose incense will
ascend to heaven and greet you there
and a. they kneel by your tombstone,
their eyes dimed with tears, their
cheeks fnrroWed with the lines of age,
they will exclaim, stOur mother, our
good MOTHER" and from the pinnacie
of your heavenly glory you will be-
hold them, bless them and know that
in the sight of Omnipotence they have
obtained favor, because they loved
their mother, because sho was Patri-
otto mother. Mother! mother! Oh,
how sweet the very name, how !roas-
ured her memory, how sacred her
teachings.
Am 1 digressing? perhaps but a
| mothers love is theme 80 fruitful
| that one is }oath to leave ii. Boys,
love your mother. Love her with all
the love of which you are capable, for
when she is gone, my word for it,
boys, your hearts will ache with re-
greet that you did not love her more.
But now, gentlemen, few words in
relation to what I can imagine must
be your second love-Old Ouachita--
dear old Ouachata Fire Company No.
1.-The only organization OF its kind in
our city which has remained intact for
40 many years. Organized March 30th,
! 1867, it has for more than twenty years
| Weathered the storms which hurled
others to destruction. For more than
! twenty years it has cleared the rocks
upon which others have fOundcred.
For moro than twenty years it has
faithfully and heroicalIy performed the
mission for which it was created. For
more than twenty years it has been
your safeguard-your protector in mo-
ments of greatest peril. For more than
twenty years, citizens of Monroe, you
have entrusted to lis keeping your
most valued interests.
With hearts bowed down with grief
they have for twenty years and more
followed, one by one, their departed
comrades to their last resting place.
Death has thinaed their ranks, and
from a powerful organization of more
than ono hundred they now number
but n few brave boys; but, trusting in
that reward which the consciousness
OF duty well performed always brings,
they have struggled on and went on.
When tho advent Of q tire-that fell
destroyer of our peaceful siumbers, our
property and our homes, is heralded by
the tocsin of alarm, who first adopts
rational measures to conquer it: The
liremen
Who endures tho hartiships and the
dangers connected with and consequent
upon a fire.?
THE FIREMEN!
Who fears to stain their pretty clothes
or soil their dainty hands with those
"horrid muddy" hose? The firemen ?
| Oh no! not one of them, but TO the
ontrary--regar.lless of their health, of
their safety, and sometimes Of their
| very lives, they unfaIteringiy step into
the ihickcst and hottest of the fight.
Does some cinic deny this: l know
them better and assert cmphaticatfy
that if an opportunity should arise
calling for an example of self sacrificing
hcroism there is not one of these young
men whose broad manly breast is
adorned by that figure l who would
hesitate for IL moment. "Aiwnys ready,
! their lives they risk their friends to
save" Ladies aud gentlemen do not
voice your sentiments when l say that
to these gallant fircmcn you accord the
highest need of praise, and that as
iiremen you entertain for them iudi-
vidually and collectively the most pro-
found respect:
Active fircmen TO assured that Il rec
objection of your past career, of your
bravery and devotion to the best inter
est of your community is indcliiby en-
graved upon the heart, of a generous
and grateful people, and though we
honor you not less, wo may honor
more those exempt tiremen who in the
quiet scclusion of their peaceful homes
point with pardunab!e pride to that bit
of parchment which proclaims that for
ten years of continued and faithful
service they shalt he known az "cx-
ompt members" of O. II. Go. No. /.
The 3rd section of the first article of
your bylaws provides that. ss-Any